Brian Carter Cellars

“A passion for the art of blending”: With that tagline, Brian Carter Cellars stakes its claim on European-style (primarily red) blends. With more than 25 years of winemaking experience, noted vintner Brian Carter finally has his own label under which to showcase his talents. During those 25 years, Brian Carter managed to pick up “Winemaker of the Year” twice by Washington Magazine. His résumé includes stops at Paul Thomas, Hedges Cellars, Silver Lake Winery, McCrea Cellars, Kestrel Vineyards, and most recently Apex and Bridgman wineries. Along the way, he has captured a number of awards and won critical acclaim.

The winery’s tasting room is located in an amiable little red house next to the soon-to-be-developed Woodinville Village, where the new Brian Carter Cellars will reside. When it comes to “a passion for the art of blending,” think beyond wine. Rather, expand the “blending” idea to encompass landscape photography by Woodinville native John Shephard, which gracefully hangs in the tasting room. Also note the wine labels themselves. Artist Stephen Black’s dramatic paintings strike a chord with the liquid art inside the bottle. I know we shouldn’t buy wine based on the label alone, but there are exceptions and this is one of them.

Brian Carter Cellars offers five blended wines. “Oriana,” a white blend of three varieties; “Tuttorosso”, a sangiovese-based Tuscan-style blend; “Byzance,” a Southern Rhône–style blend of grenache and syrah; “L’Etalon,” a robust blend of five classic Bordeaux varieties; and “Solesce,” the winery’s signature Bordeaux-style blend. “Abracadabra” is its second-tier wine and reflects the goal of producing a “magical” red blend. The name “Abracadabra” itself conjures magical beliefs and has its origin in ancient Greece. People who were ill would wear an amulet around their neck that contained a piece of parchment. Inscribed on the parchment was a triangular formula derived from the word:

A B R A C A D A B R A
A B R A C A D A B R
A B R A C A D A B
A B R A C A D A
A B R A C A D
A B R A C A
A B R A C
A B R A
A B R
A B
A

Interestingly, the term “hocus pocus” is derived from Latin and is thought to mean “Stop at Brian Carter Cellars next time you are in Woodinville.”

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  Brian Carter Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Hollywood Schoolhouse WineTrail on page 154!